Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 08:42:26 -1000 From: RODGER@ray.uct.ac.za (Rodger Duffett) Message-Id: Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Sliding! Hi All Greetings from Cape Town! Well the last couple of weeks of seen hardly any flyable weather. We where recently hit by a series of vicious cold fronts bringing howling north westers and cold rainy conditions. I did take our locally made 3/4 stunter out in about 35+ knots. Delicate it was not! Our coastline has also, very sadly, been hit by a set of terrible oil slicks from a bulk carrier which sank fairly close offshore in one of the storms. The slicks have covered popular bathing beaches and some small offshore islands which are home to a large percentage of the world population of Jackass penguins. Cry, the beloved country, your children are dying! Anyway, enough already! I wanted to ask about techniques for performing slides. Any and all advice on setting of the kite, actions performed during the slide, how to get across the centre of the wind zone etc will be greatly appreciated. Keep well... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 10:30:02 -1000 From: reich@nosc.mil (Ronald S. Reich) Message-Id: <9407062030.AA26136@cod.nosc.mil> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Re: Sliding! Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 18:42:26 GMT From: RODGER@ray.uct.ac.za (Rodger Duffett) Subject: Sliding! >>Rodger Duffett writes: >Anyway, enough already! I wanted to ask about techniques for >performing slides. Any and all advice on setting of the kite, >actions performed during the slide, how to get across the centre >of the wind zone etc will be greatly appreciated. The "Side Slide" of a Delta controllable kite is easier when the bridle Tow Point is moved toward the nose. For most brands, about 1 inch is enough. Temporarily move the Tow Point toward the nose when learning the Side Slide, Snap Stall, Landing, and Tip Stands. Execute the Side Slide from Right to Left by: 1. Fly toward the right edge of the wind window, about 40 feet off the ground. 2. "PULL" right to turn down toward the ground. 3. "PUSH" right and then balance by "PUSHING" left to cause the kite to stall in an upright position about 10 feet above the ground. The inertia of the kite should cause it to start a sliding motion toward the center of the wind window. 4. Maintain the 10 foot elevation by walking toward or away from the kite as necessary. 5. Maintain a balanced upright position of the kite by making minute adjustments of the tension in the flylines by applying slight amounts of pressure on the fly lines or handle bridle lines with your extented index finger. 6. As the kite passes the center of the wind window, slightly pull with the left hand to bring the left side of the kite toward you. Very delicate control of your walking toward and away from the kite and applying tension to the lines will be required to maintain the upright position. For learning purposes allow the left tip to be ever so slightly lower than the ritght tip. The kite will look as though it is leaning into the direction of travel. 7. As the kite progresses toward the left edge of the wind window, it will be necessary for you to increase the rate at which you are backing way from the kite in order to maintain the 10 foot elevation. Good Luck The ultimate side slide is to: 1. Start in a tip stand at the right edge of the wind window. (Pointing into the wind.) 2. Apply a very slight amount of tension to the left line and cause the kite to rise up the right edge of the window. 3. Continue to cause the kite to move up and up and up while continuing to point into the wind until it is directly over your head. 4. Continue riding the edge of the arc all the way down to the left edge of the wind window whereby you may want to establish a tip stand at the left edge, completing a Rainbow Slide." Or, you could allow the kite to rotate a quarter turn tu the right and execute a side slide from left to right about 10 feet above the ground. Slide the kite all the way to the right edge and establish a tip stand to complete the ultimate side slide. Still Learning and Sharing, Ron Reich = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 08:28:50 -1000 From: reich@nosc.mil (Ronald S. Reich) Message-Id: <9407071828.AA15556@cod.nosc.mil> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Re:: Sliding! Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 20:30:02 GMT From: reich@nosc.mil (Ronald S. Reich) Subject: Re: Sliding! Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 18:42:26 GMT From: RODGER@ray.uct.ac.za (Rodger Duffett) Subject: Sliding! Attentions all who trust in what Ron Reich says. OOPS !! OOPS!! I have finally made a mistake. Darn it, and I almost made it to retirement from my regular job too. In this article I mistakenly indicated that you should move the bridle tow point toward the nose of the kite in order to practice the side slide maneuver. Quite the contrary as Phillipe was kind enough to point out to me off line. To practice the Side Slide maneuver, Move The Tow Point Away From The Nose. (set the kite heavy) I'm truly sorry if my mistake has caused any frustration. Best regards from no longer perfect, Ron The "Side Slide" of a Delta controllable kite is easier when the bridle Tow Point is moved AWAY FROM the nose. For most brands, about 1 inch is enough. Temporarily move the Tow Point toward the nose when learning the Side Slide, Snap Stall, Landing, and Tip Stands. Execute the Side Slide from Right to Left by: 1. Fly toward the right edge of the wind window, about 40 feet off the ground. 2. "PULL" right to turn down toward the ground. 3. "PUSH" right and then balance by "PUSHING" left to cause the kite to stall in an upright position about 10 feet above the ground. The inertia of the kite should cause it to start a sliding motion toward the center of the wind window. 4. Maintain the 10 foot elevation by walking toward or away from the kite as necessary. 5. Maintain a balanced upright position of the kite by making minute adjustments of the tension in the flylines by applying slight amounts of pressure on the fly lines or handle bridle lines with your extented index finger. 6. As the kite passes the center of the wind window, slightly pull with the left hand to bring the left side of the kite toward you. Very delicate control of your walking toward and away from the kite and applying tension to the lines will be required to maintain the upright position. For learning purposes allow the left tip to be ever so slightly lower than the ritght tip. The kite will look as though it is leaning into the direction of travel. 7. As the kite progresses toward the left edge of the wind window, it will be necessary for you to increase the rate at which you are backing way from the kite in order to maintain the 10 foot elevation. Good Luck The ultimate side slide is to: 1. Start in a tip stand at the right edge of the wind window. (Pointing into the wind.) 2. Apply a very slight amount of tension to the left line and cause the kite to rise up the right edge of the window. 3. Continue to cause the kite to move up and up and up while continuing to point into the wind until it is directly over your head. 4. Continue riding the edge of the arc all the way down to the left edge of the wind window whereby you may want to establish a tip stand at the left edge, completing a Rainbow Slide." Or, you could allow the kite to rotate a quarter turn tu the right and execute a side slide from left to right about 10 feet above the ground. Slide the kite all the way to the right edge and establish a tip stand to complete the ultimate side slide. Still Learning and Sharing, Ron Reich = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 8 Jul 1994 05:28:39 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: Organization: Harvard University OIT/NSD Subject: Re: Re:: Sliding! Ron, The description is excellent, but I think that the original poster was asking about power kiting (sliding on ice). He was from South Africa, and they are in the middle of winter right now... So, can any of your power flyers out there change back to winter mode and give the poster some advice? -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =